The present disclosure relates to a display input device having a display portion and a touch panel portion, and to an image forming apparatus having the touch panel portion.
Some of various electric apparatuses and electronic apparatuses have a display panel attached thereon. The display panel is combined with a touch panel allowing a setting input or an operation of the apparatus. When a user performs an operation or an input, a new image is displayed at any position on a screen of the display panel. An example of the new image thus displayed is an electronic label. When a user performs an input of characters or the like (for example, a note or a message), an electronic label is created. Then, every time a screen on which the electronic label is pasted (posted) is displayed, the electronic label is displayed on the screen.
An image forming apparatus that newly displays (posts), on a screen, such information including characters or the like in response to an input from a user, has been known. The image forming apparatus includes a display portion, an information input portion, a display position setting portion, a storage portion, a label information generation portion, and a label image display portion. The display portion displays an operation screen. The information input portion allows a user to input message information on the operation screen. The display position setting portion sets a display position of the message information on the operation screen. The storage portion stores therein the message information and the display position thereof. The label information generation portion causes the storage portion to register therein, as label information, information in which operation screen information at the time of inputting and setting the message information and the display position is associated with the message information and the display position having been input and set on the operation screen. The label image display portion reads, from the storage portion, the label information corresponding to the operation screen information displayed on the display portion, and displays, on the operation screen, the label image corresponding to the read label information. This configuration facilitates transmission and display of message information such as supplementary operation instructions, reminders, memorandums, and the like on various operation screens, thereby realizing an image forming apparatus with improved operability.
Image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, multifunction peripherals, printers, FAX machines, and the like also include an operation panel including a combination of a display panel and a touch panel. Even a fixed display panel of an image forming apparatus may display a plurality of objects that are images whose display positions are movable. It is noted that examples of the objects include: an image indicating an electronic label as described above (an image containing text data such as a note, like a paper label); and an image (an icon) indicating data or a file.